Which 44 mag would you choose?

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rmc

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A local dealer has two S&W mags for sale.

One is a slightly used (50 rounds and light cylinder ring) blued 29-2 6 1/2" barrel. GROOVED TRIGGER

The other is a NIB 629 (no dash). Stainless steel 6" barrel. Recessed cylinder but barrel is not pinned.
SMOOTH TRIGGER

Both have wooden display case, papers, and tools.

I want a 44 mag to shoot and have been told the blued guns have smoother trigger pulls than stainless ones but the 629 already has the smooth trigger for when I want to shoot double action.

Given this which would you choose. Price on either is too close to matter.

BTW: Did S&W make a 629 with both pinned barrels and recessed cylinders?

rmc
 
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Personal preference actually, I like stainless guns but the 29-2 will probably hold a higher value than the stainless. As far as smoothness there is no significant difference I've ever been able to tell between the two. Pick the one that floats your boat the most. Good luck and welcome to the forum.
 
I don't know your intended use, but I would lean towards the 629, but you will not go wrong either way.

And to answer your question I have a 4" 629 (no dash) that is pinned and recessed. I traded a Mint Sig P229 and $300+ cash to get it, and did so without hesitation.

I saw that baby sitting there, I asked to see it, had them put it on hold, and it was mine four days later.
 
Does anyone happen to have the Production numbers of a 29-2 vs a 629 (No Dash)?

Wouldn't there have been fewer of the 629's?

Is the 29-2 Worth more b/c the Dirty Harry affect/effect?

I don't think you can go wrong either way here though.
 
I prefer blued steel so I would buy the 29-2 before the 629.

To answer your other question, yes they did manufacture pinned and recessed 629s.

Here is mine from the first day of regular production.

94182754.yW1RaXMg.SmithWesson629PR03_14_08.jpg
 
rmc said:
BTW: Did S&W make a 629 with both pinned barrels and recessed cylinders?

rmc
Click to expand...

My 629 no-dash 6" is pinned and recessed. As for the blue vs. stainless it's certainly personal preference. I'm biased but I'd go for the 629.
 
Blue looks the best, but is fragile,and requires more care. Stainless is far more durable and easy to keep nice. I never could tell any difference in triggers between the two steels. They will shoot exactly the same.
 
I had a 629 with recessed cylinder, but not pinned, with an "N" serial number. Considered a transitional gun, when the barrel pin was discontinued but the supply of recessed cylinders had not been exhausted. I had a 629-1 also at one time. I traded that one for a blued 29-2. I sold the 629 no dash to fund a purchase of a .... blued 29-2.

I've had/have several 29's and their actions were/are smoother than the action on the two 629's I owned. Just my experience, YMMV.
 
rmc said:
Given this which would you choose. Price on either is too close to matter.
rmc
Click to expand...

It's totally your personal preference. One is not superior to the other. The difference in the value they will retain and how they will shoot will be "too close to matter." If the prices are very good I would consider buying both.
 
"rmc" ~ You stated that you want "a 44 mag to shoot" AND I assume you only want one .44 magnum. From personal experience, here's my two cents - I was recently looking for a nice 6 1/2" blued 29-2 to use for hunting when I came across a very well cared for "S" prefixed (mid 60s) gun for sale (no box, just the gun). Now that I have what I was looking for and being that it looks like it was kept in a safe for many years, I don't want to shoot it and I'm now looking around for a shooter 629. The SS 629 would be much easier to care for and given what you want, that's the way I would go.
 
If it's going to spend time in the woods as a trail/hunting gun, 629 hands down.

If it's to be a nightstand queen and occasional shooter, it's a toss up for me.

Nothing prettier than a really well kept blued gun. But, there's nothing hardier in the outdoors than a stainless gun.

Bob
 
Can I add a little to my answer. If the 29-2 and 629 are priced reasonable buy both if you can swing it. A high condition 29-2 is better than money in the bank these days. Keep it a year or two and flip it. You may cover the original cost of both.
 
I'm not a fan of stainless. I've got ONE stainless gun, a 3" 65, and if I'd seen a single 3" 13 at a show in the last fifteen years, I wouldn't have it.

I've got two blued 29-2s, a 4" and 6". They're great guns. I especially like the 4" with Speer 200gr. Gold Dots. It's like shooting .38 Specials out of a 27-2.

My choice would be the 29-2 every time.
 
I'd have to flip a coin. Either would work for me.
 
I would buy both of them.I just picked up a transition gun at the Tulsa gun show this past April and then a 29-2 blue at the Denver show in May.Make the blue a safe queen and shoot the 629.Your blue will definitely appreciate and soon as you own it.Look at My Revolvers album,I'm collecting the 44's. I like em. Can't have to many
 
I would prefer the 629. One consideration though is does the 29 have a grooved narrow trigger or the wide, grooved target trigger? You would be fine with either shooting double action unless the 29 has the wide trigger. That isn't good for DA. A narrow grooved trigger isn't a problem.
 
As an investment, the 29. As a shooter, the 629. Over the last few years of collecting vintage Smiths, I've found that I'm far too in love with my nice blue finishes to subject them to hard or regular use. So I now have a 681 and a recent 64 in the collection for that purpose. Best wishes.
 
I agree with Jim NNN above....I don't shoot my three invest-
ment S&W's. I do have a 681 and a 64 no dash with a pencil
barrel I can shoot. I also have a shooter grade K22 pre-17 I
shoot, and a nice shooter grade Regulation Police too. I need
to find a S&W in .45 Colt that doesn't have the oversized
throats. :)
 
Agree with Mojave30cal and several others. Get the transitional 629 if you are interested in low production numbers equating to possible higher future value. There are a lot more 29-2's around than there will ever be 629 no-dashes. However, if you just want one for enjoyment of owning and/or shooting and don't care about values, etc., then can't go wrong with either one. Enjoy

I will add that I know a dealer in TN that has one of the transitional 629s with all the original stuff with it, including the outside shipping box with the Smith label on it, the unlabeled blue box, the cardboard form that fits inside the shipping box to keep the presentation case separate from everything else. He brought it to a show as he knew I wanted to buy it. Thought I had the deal done at $1,500, but then he changed his mind and decided to keep it. I keep telling him that he needs to keep holding onto it so that way I know where my 629 no dash is being securely stored until I get it. If a dealer doesn't want to sell it, then that speaks volumes to me. Just my $0.02 worth.
 
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